A Reason to Stay
by BensonStablerSVU
Summary: Olivia comes back from a special assignment that she goes on in season 8.She is offered a job to work for the LAPD. Will she take it? EO of course! OneShot. There are spoilers for season 8. Rating is for a little bit of cursing. Nothing serious.


**A/N: So if you like E/O this is the perfect story for you. I heard about the special assignment thing and then the Connie Nielsen deal and I almost fainted. So I wrote this to calm my nerves. Enjoy!**

**Warning: There are some spoilers in here so if you don't want to know what's going to happen in later episodes do not read this!**

A Reason to Stay

It was muggy, rainy, and cold. The three types of weather conditions she hated the most. She just got back from her special assignment in Los Angeles. Cragen gave Elliot another partner for the time being. It was already winter. In LA you can't really feel much of a difference in seasons because it is always warm. She had been gone for 2 months. It's not really that long but it felt like an eternity.

She's never going to admit it but she missed everyone so much, Elliot in particular. They had that big fight because she did not shot Victor in the wear house and he did not go after Ryan and instead came to her aid. They did not talk very much anymore. She left to computer crimes for a while to clear her head but then came back a short time later.

Elliot is expecting her today and so is Cragen. She is exited and kind of nervous. When she told Elliot that she was going to go on a special assignment she saw the anger in his eyes. Special assignments are complicated because you can not talk to anyone that is not part of it and you do not know how long you will be gone. She knew that's what he was scared of, losing her forever.

Olivia grabbed her coat and walked out the door. So many things ran through her head at that moment. She cared for Elliot as more than a partner and more than a friend. But lately it has been so hard to tell whether they were even friends at this point. She learned not to long ago he had had a "fling" with the partner they gave him as her replacement. It killed her inside because she has just come to learn that she loved Elliot.

She wondered if she should leave New York. Jason Luccas, one of the top agents she was working with, had offered her a job to come and work with the LAPD. She would have a great apartment and a wonderful job. Nothing was keeping her in New York except Elliot and if he would be happier with his old partner they had placed him with when she had gone, then all she wants is for him to be happy.

She had reached the station house and walked up the steps. She almost forgot how it looked. Olivia pushed the elevator button and rode up to the bullpen.

"Here goes noting" she said as she took a deep breath and pushed through the double doors…

He can't wait till Olivia got there. Elliot came in extra early today waiting for her to return. When Olivia told him that she was going to be leaving on a special assignment his heart sank to the ground. All he could do was nod and stand there, stunned at the news that his partner of almost eight years was presenting to him. He knew that they have been on the rocks of ending their partnership but if that happened, then he would fall apart completely. He was worried that she would never come back to SVU. That she would stay wherever she was and never talk to him again.

Dani Beck was his partner before Olivia came into SVU. They had a good partnership but never as good as Olivia and him. He knew what he did was wrong. He knows now that he loves Olivia and can not live a day without her. He assumes that she knows about the whole "fling" with Dani. He also knows that Olivia was the one who put Dani as her replacement. He does not know why she did that but wants to find out very soon. That thing with Dani is what men call "Just Sex". Nothing more. He would do anything to try and convince Olivia it meant nothing. Then the door opened.

Olivia walked into the station house and looked around. Nothing had really changed. Munches desk still looked like a hell hole and the windows still had bars on the other side. She looked at her desk and saw that it was relatively empty except for a cup full pens and pencils.

Then she saw Elliot. He still looked as handsome as he always has. He actually looked a little more buff believe it or not. He wore one of his dress shirts with the sleeves rolled up. That meant one of two things, he is angry and wants to bust someone through a wall or he is nervous.

He looked at her and he smiled. She was always so beautiful. It was a wonder how she could have gotten more gorgeous since the last time he saw her. Her hair was a little bit brighter and longer and her skin got darker.

"Hey there stranger" Olivia said while setting her coat on the back of her chair.

"Hi. How was your trip?" He asked. He felt like shit for not telling her how he felt before she left.

"Great actually I…" She was interrupted when Fin came and lifted her up in a hug. Munch then joined in and they released her with a shocked look on her face.

"I missed you guys too. I was only gone for two months." She said smiling.

"Yea but your replacement" Munch started

"Was a crazy ass bitch" Fin finished.

Olivia laughed while on her way to Cragen's office. She thought that they all loved her replacement. Now she is starting to have second thoughts about leaving but she also knows that she can't stay.

Elliot is relieved that she is not mad but on the other hand he is upset. Does this mean she does not care if I am seeing someone else? Does this mean she doesn't feel the same way? He needs answers but is afraid that he will drive her away.

Olivia knocks once and enters Cragen's office. He looks up from a piece of white fax paper and looks at her with wide eyes. She shuts the door behind her because she knows what he is looking at. Transfer papers.

"Captain I can explain…" She said but Cragen interfered

"Olivia why? You know that I will back you up no matter what but I have the right to at least know why." He looked at her with stern eyes. His voice was strong but he sounded confused and hurt.

"I was offered a job in LA and…" She sat down in one of his rather uncomfortable chairs. He always said that the reason why they were so prickly was so IAB would never come back to his office. Of course that never stopped them.

"Have you told Elliot?" He asked simply. He looked straight at Olivia and she felt like crawling in a corner and never coming out.

"No" She answered with a sigh. "Can you get Dani to be his new partner? I don't want him punching out anyone else. At least he knows her and can work with her." She said truthfully.

"Olivia I am going to give you two days to think about this. If you do leave then you have to tell Elliot." He said while shifting in his chair.

"But I don't need..."

"Just think about it. I can give you a new partner if you want to get away from Elliot but going all the way to California is crazy. If you want it then you can go but just know that everyone here will miss you, even Elliot." He finished.

She got up and walked out of Cragen's office and returned to her desk. Munch and Fin were out most of the day working on a case while Olivia was working on some paperwork she had to fill out before she was officially part of the LAPD. Elliot was right across from her finishing some paperwork of his own.

It was getting later and the sky was clearing up a bit as it got darker. Olivia had one last paper to fill out. All it needed was her signature. She looked at it and hesitated.

Olivia got up and put on her coat. She needed air or a walk, just something to let her think about this.

"Leaving?" Elliot asked as he looked up from his paperwork.

"No just need some air. See you in a bit." She replied with a smile. After he heard the double doors close he got up from his seat and looked over at her desk. He was so curious on what she had been working on all day.

He went behind her chair and looked at the top paper. His eyes went wide as he read in big bold letter across the paper "Transfer Application". Down a little farther it said Transfer for Olivia Benson to the LAPD. He felt tears start to form and ran into the locker room. His heart was beating fast and hard. He tried to catch his breath so he sat down.

"I screwed up. I should have told her how I felt." He mumbled to himself. "She hates me. She will never forgive me." Just then he felt all of his anger burst out and he hit the locker again and again until he had bloody knuckles. He started to cry and mumble "don't go, Liv. I love you."

He stood up knowing what he needed to do. He needed his questions answered. Elliot grabbed his coat and headed where he knew she'd be, Central park.

Olivia was walking around Central Park thinking about what she is going to do. So many questions were floating around her head. Would he miss me? Would he care? Does he love me? She sat down on the grass, over looking all the lights in the city.

Elliot walked up behind her and sat down right next to Olivia. She did not see him at first but when she did she was surprised and confused.

"Elliot what are you…"

"Olivia I know I made many mistakes while we have been partners. We have grown apart ever since my divorce because I was scared. Then the whole Victor case scared me even more." He turned to meet Olivia's eyes. She saw that his blue crystal eyes have turned into red watery ones. "I thought I loved my wife. She was my world. She told me the reason for the devoice was that I chose the job over her. So the job ends up being the most important thing in my life. Then there's you. I was mad because I was confused. I chose the job over my wife but I chose you over the job." He spoke from his heart and he was telling her what he felt.

"Olivia why did you request Dani to be your replacement?" He questioned.

"Honestly, I wanted you to remember how happy you were before I came to SVU. I wanted you to see how it would be without me. How easy it was before you even knew me." She lowered her head trying to escape his gaze.

"Liv, please don't go." He pleaded. "Please."

"How did you…" She asked shocked. She shot her head up and looked right at him.

"I saw your transfer papers on your desk." He said looking ahead at nothing in particular.

"You're my life, my heart, and my soul, Liv. Before you came to SVU I came to work every morning not really loving it but coming anyway. Now I have something to look forward to. If you go, I will fall apart." He turned to her and she started to sob.

"Please Elliot don't make this harder than it already is." She sobbed.

"Why are you leaving Olivia? I will change if you stay, I promise!" He begged.

"I am leaving because I want you to be happy!" She screamed. "It will be like I never came Elliot!" She was crying now.

"But you did. You made my life better Olivia! You're the best partner I have ever had. Screw Dani! I don't love her! I love…" He paused for a moment before taking her hand in his.

"I love you, Liv. I always have and always will. If you stay I will still love you. If you leave I will still love you. You made a difference in my life from the moment you walked in the station, and I love you for that." He knew what he had to do. He had to show her.

He leaned in and met his lips to hers. He put his hand on her waist and she wrapped her hands around his neck. The kiss was magical. It felt to right to them. The kiss was deep and full of meaning. They separated and looked into each others eyes.

"I love you to, El. I will always be right here." She grabbed his hand and squeezed it reassuringly. He flinched and looked down at his hand.

"Oh my god Elliot, what did you do to your hands? " She lifted both of them up and saw they were bloody and had gray paint all over them.

"That's what happens when you find out the person you love is leaving you. This is what happens when you realize you're an idiot for not telling her how you felt and for treating her like shit. I am so sorry Olivia." Elliot looked at her with apologetic eyes.

"Elliot listen to me. I am not going anywhere. As long as you're here, I have a reason to stay." She smiled and he kissed her, this time with more desire and huger.

Olivia felt something cold and wet land on the top of her cheek. She thought Elliot was crying.

"Elliot why are you crying?" She asked parting from the kiss.

"I'm not crying." He said honestly. She felt it again and looked up making Elliot look up as well. It was snowing. More and more flakes of snow fell from the sky.

"This is beautiful tonight, El" She said while smiling and looking around at all the holiday lights.

"Your beautiful, Olivia. Are you going to stay with me in New York?" He asked.

"I wouldn't rather be anywhere else." She replied. He let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding.

"Then you don't mind me" He pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket that said Transfer Application. He also pulled out a lighter. "Doing this" He lit the paper on fire and they watched it burn.

"Not at all" He tossed the paper over his shoulder while it was still burning. She grabbed his head in both of her hands and kissed him again. They stayed there most of the night just kissing and enjoying each others company. They now know that their partnership is very unique and has a special meaning. They now know that they love each other and that they will always be together.

Two days later:

"Olivia my office" Cragen signaled for her to come into his office and have a seat.

"So Olivia, have you decided what you're going to do?" Cragen asked while sitting at the corner or his desk.

"I want to stay. You all are my family and I could never leave." She smiled and got up to go back to her desk when Cragen spoke up again.

"What made you change your mind?" He asked curiously.

She thought about it for a minute before answering

"I found a reason to stay." She walked back to her desk, sitting across from that reason.

**Finish**

**A/N: Ok I know this was really cheesy but it seemed like a good idea at the time! I just learned that when Dani Beck comes to the show that she is going to have a "Fling" with Elliot. I almost had a heart attack! So this was to calm myself down a little. Like always Grammar is not and never will be my best subject! Plz R&R!**


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